


"Best-friends"

by fabyeolous



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Boys Kissing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2018-12-21 09:56:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11941683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabyeolous/pseuds/fabyeolous
Summary: They've grown up together, they've fought, made up and stuck together. Now, they're stuck... stuck in a loop of sex, denial and unrequited feelings."We're best friends, right, Yeol?""Right."(A collection of shorts based around an au that came to me while I was trying to sleep.)





	1. Lazy Sunday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lazy Sunday mornings are always the best, especially after a wild night.

Chanyeol greets the fine Sunday morning with a soft groan, thick black locks splayed out in all directions, face buried in the pillow beneath his head. He can feel the suns warmth on his back, this means Baekhyun is already awake. For some unknown reasons, its been a ritual for the latter to always open the curtains the very moment he wakes up. Chanyeol wonders why he likes daylight so much, especially now, when his own head is pounding with a hangover. Too much whisky... that's always the way.

 

"Good morning," Baekhyun drawls, Chanyeol turns his body in order to face him and what he sees is truly a sight for sore eyes indeed.

 

Baekhyun is lying on his front, naked and only half-covered by the thin, white sheets they both slept in the night before. His skin looks soft, silky, the colour of a milky latte placed perfectly under magnificent beams of the sun.

 

"Good morning," Chanyeol replies groggily after a long moment of admiring the blurred image of his best friends voluptuous ass. "Did you sleep well?" He asks, very slowly reaching one hand out. His fingertips graze feather-light over the line of Baekhyun's spine, making him shudder and sigh. This is nice, peaceful. Things between them have always been easy going. Nothing is ever forced, there's a meaning behind everything they do, everything they talk about. Or so, that's what Chanyeol has always believed.

 

Baekhyun hums at first, his body in conflict as he leans into Chanyeol's touch and then away from it, then repeat. "I did sleep well, considering you fucked me into oblivion. More than once, might I add."

 

Chanyeol grins, ears perking up at the sound of that alluring voice.

 

_The voice he loves so much. Especially when it sings his name into the night._

 

"Do I hear a complaint, Baek?" He cocks an eyebrow even though Baekhyun isn't looking his way, the amusement is clear in his voice all the same. "You definitely weren't complaining while I was doing it," He quips. "In fact, you were begging me not to stop~" Chanyeol is now singing in Baekhyun's ear, something that really drives him crazy. A long arm drapes around Baekhyun's midsection and within the same instant, he's being dragged backwards.

 

_Baekhyun adores the feeling of Chanyeol's breath on his neck._

 

"I'd never complain, Yeol," Words come out in hushed breaths and Baekhyun feels his lips stretching into a smile. For a moment, he wonders if he's still drunk from the night before. He's not. Well, not drunk on liquor anyway... just drunk on the man holding him.

 

The thing is, between him and Chanyeol, despite being intimate, they've always been casual. It sounds strange to call it a thing between best friends, but... that's what it is.

_However, this hopeless brunette can't help falling in love a little bit more each day._

 

"Can we stay in bed today?" Baekhyun dares to ask and Chanyeol chuckles at him, pressing such a fucking teasing kiss to the spot below his ear lobe before leaning over him to grab the cigarette carton on the nightstand.

 

"I was going to treat you to breakfast, though..." He says, flicking the lid open to pull one of the cigarettes out with his lips.

_There are so many things those lips can do._

 

Baekhyun watches the long arm reach across him again, fingers curling around the lighter.

 

_Those fingers are heavenly too._

 

"You know, waffles with whipped cream and butterscotch sauce at Terry's diner? The ones you love so much," Chanyeol's words are slightly muffled and he sparks the lighter up, bringing the flame to the cigarette tip.

 

A smoke cloud fills the air around them and Baekhyun inhales, eyes closing as his lungs consume the toxic scent.

 

"That does sound good... but can we come back to bed afterwards?" He isn't going to give up until Chanyeol gives him what he wants. Fortunately, the latter is easily worn down and he accepts with that ever so charming smile, placing a peck on Baekhyun's shoulder.

 

"Of course, Baek," He whispers. "Anything for you."

 

Perhaps some might call their ways dysfunctional... but it works for them.

 

Will it always be this way, though?


	2. Magic City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chanyeol reveals something he's been trying his best to hide for a while... at quite an inconvenient time.

"Miller heights," Chanyeol mumbles to the driver as he drags Baekhyun into the cab by his hand. It's a young Friday night and after hitting a few bars, the pair is ready to head back to Chanyeol's apartment to drink the rest of the night away. "Baek, do you still have my wallet?" 

 

Baekhyun nods with a cheeky smile, leaning back into his seat. He pats his left pants pocket and winks. 

 

"I hope there's enough money left in it, I kinda went overboard with the drinks in that last place," The brunette muses, grinning quite sheepishly as Chanyeol glazes his eyes over at him. Typical Baekhyun, always spending all of his money. He doesn't really mind though, Baekhyun can have whatever he wants, as far as he's concerned.

 

_Chanyeol would give him the whole world if he could._

 

"Well, if there isn't enough money for our cab fair, you'll be paying this nice driver in kind favors," Chanyeol smirks, not just any smirk, the most shit-eating smirk one could ever come across. Baekhyun shoots him a look of faux offense, hitting his broad shoulder with his weakly balled up fist.

 

"I'm not some prostitute for you to lend me out, you bastard," He exasperates with an amused quirk of his eyebrows. "And even if I was one, I'd certainly not have you as my pimp, Park Chanyeol."

 

Laughing, Chanyeol snakes an arm around Baekhyun's shoulders and draws him in, their bodies pressing together just a little. "So, could I be a customer instead?" 

 

"You're so sleazy," Baekhyun grimaces, though his body contradicts him by leaning closer to the giant. "But maybe I could let you be the customer for a little while."

 

With no more than a sly smile, Chanyeol's face inches closer to Baekhyun's, but he steers slightly and nuzzles into the crook of his neck. He places a single kiss on the smooth skin there.

 

"Chanyeol," Baekhyun calls quietly, tilting his the other way to expose more of his neck to him. "Chanyeol, not here... wait until we're at your place," Baekhyun's voice is insistent but his body is so betraying of him, leaning further into the roaming hands of his best friend.

 

_Why is he always so hard to resist?_

 

Chanyeol, acting completely ignorant to the brunette's words that sound more like breaths, works his lips along Baekhyun's Adam's apple. The motions are sloppy, open-mouthed and extremely loud, wet. His one hand roams low, very low and fervent fingertips brush over the crotch of Baekhyun's illegally tight skinny jeans, making him whine a little in protest. Hands like art push his own hasty one away and when Chanyeol looks at his face, he's greeted with a glare of warning.

 

"What?" Chanyeol feigns innocence, although, he's far from innocent. "I can't help it, your body seems to invite me in a lot easier than your mouth does," He remarks and Baekhyun snorts. It's all too true that whenever the giant touches him, his body makes most of the decisions. Chanyeol could so much as tap him on the shoulder and he'd be silently begging for there to be more where that came from. But not now. They're in a cab, in public... Baekhyun prefers to keep things private.

 

So, he makes this clear to Chanyeol by not saying a word. Baekhyun pressing his finger to his lips, gesturing for the silly fool beside him to keep quiet and stop being so impatient.

 

The pair ends up holding hands and Chanyeol's body leans closer to the car window, while Baekhyun's own body leans against his. They watch the bright lights of this magic city pass them by. Pure and vibrant colors pass in streaks and drunk bodies stumble into night cafes. Not these two, though. No, they don't have time for wasting like that.

 

_They only have time for each other._

 

 

 

 

It's a pleasant, surprisingly peaceful journey back to Chanyeol's apartment complex. With fingers tangling and twisting around one another's, the two best friends spent the duration in silence, sharing an occasional glance, chaste pecks to lips that are both warm and slightly chapped. 

 

The cab driver pulls up outside their destination and Chanyeol rifles through his wallet to grab whatever he money he can find. He ends up giving the driver the right amount of fairs, plus a little extra out of common courtesy.  

 

Baekhyun lets him pay for the service before tugging him out of the cab, hand in hand, into the cold breeze of an hour long past midnight. Chanyeol, his head is swimming in the skies as he's lead up the three flights of stairs to his apartment. The journey would be quicker if the shitty elevator were working. He doesn't mind so much since he's got a pretty good view of Baekhyun's ass and the way it glides from left to right with every movement. 

 

_Does he do that on purpose? Chanyeol wonders an awful lot._

A moment longer and Baekhyun is so familiarly reaching into the front pocket of Chanyeol's pants, taking out the lonely door key with a lick of his lips and cute, cheeky little smile. He pushes the key into the hole, twists and their ears are welcomed with the faint click of the mechanisms releasing.

 

_Just a few more steps until paradise._

 

Inside the homey, unlit apartment Baekhyun sheds his leather jacket, slips his tattered shoes from his feet. He doesn't wait for Chanyeol to shut the door while striding forth towards the bedroom. 

 

"Hey, where are you going?" The taller calls, pushing the chain of the door through the slot with his eyes on Baekhyun.

 

He looks over his shoulder at Chanyeol, smiles a coy smile and looks away again.

 

"I thought we agreed back in the cab? You couldn't keep your hands off of me... I hope you're going to see it through since you've had me anticipating ever since."

 

With every single syllable, Baekhyun's voice grows quieter, more distant. He's already disappeared into the bedroom and Chanyeol, after clumsily kicking his own shoes of, chases after him. He chases with the clouding of an almost forgotten desire clear in his mind.

 

In the bedroom, the windows are slightly cracked open still and the only light coming in is from the perfect, illuminating moon in the sky. It doesn't matter so much, though, because Baekhyun can still see the determined glint in Chanyeol's eyes as he comes charging in. Long, strong arms wind around his waist and he's pulled against a broad chest. Lips meet hurriedly, slotting between each other for that perfect kiss. He finds a space in Chanyeol's onyx hair and grabs with his fingers, tugging accordingly to each change of angle as their lips work with each other in a knowing rhythm.

 

They've done this before. Oh, they've done this so many times before. Chanyeol has already deemed himself familiar enough to know the brunette's body better than he knows the back of his own hand. He knows all the right places to touch, kiss, caress. He knows how to fuck, how to love his body.

 

_Chanyeol knows how to love Baekhyun._

 

Still kissing on and off, clothes are very ravenously torn from bodies. Baekhyun's shirt, then Chanyeol's. Two pairs of feet stumble closer to the bed and Chanyeol pushes the petite one down against the deep purple sheets. His fingers pop the button of his skinny jeans open and hungry fingers pull them down in one with his boxer briefs and Baekhyun gasps with a little chuckle. His erection is already hugging against the lower space of his abdomen and the taller has to swallow thickly in order not to lose control already. He removes his own pants, boxers too, wasting not precious time before climbing on top of Baekhyun.

 

"Someone's in a hurry," Baekhyun whispers, lifting his chin slightly so his lips can ghost over Chanyeol's. "Do you want it to be over so soon?" He asks and with such an I'm-just-innocent-little-Baekkie pout, he gazes right into Chanyeol's soul.

 

_And so the fire flares up._

 

Once again, they're kissing, biting sucking at each other's mouths, each gesture as desperate as the last. Chanyeol's hands deprive not a single inch of his best friend's body of attention, palms glide down the curves of his hips, his thighs, and the brunette moans into his mouth, darting his tongue out to lick along Chanyeol's lower lip with searing seduction. Groping his ass, Chanyeol ruts his hips down against Baekhyun's groaning upon the fulfillment of their shafts brushing over each other. He does it again, then again... over and over until Baekhyun is writhing, until the heels of his feet are digging into the backs of his legs. Lips leave a homage of kisses down Baekhyun's chest, wet and warm as they travel across his damp, sweat sleek skin.

 

"Chanyeol... Yeol," Baekhyun calls, gasps and pants escaping his over-sensitive, lust-driven body. "Chanyeol, please..." He can't take it, he needs more. Baekhyun needs to be filled up, pounded, fucked and only one person can do that for him. But that person is too busy being a tease. "I need more," He whines, Chanyeol hums in response, sounding more than pleased with himself. "Yeol, fuck me already," He grits, hips jerking up against Chanyeol's to finally get his attention.

 

Chanyeol dislodges his lips from Baekhyun's skin, halting his hips from their taunting rolling motion. His eyes drift up, meeting with glassy cognac shaded orbs, lidded, portraying everything Baekhyun wants. But despite knowing these things, seeing that glow in his eyes, feeling the head on his skin, Chanyeol doesn't move. He's been caught, he's trapped, enraptured and his heart... it skips a beat.

 

"What are you staring at, idiot?" Baekhyun huffs but remains gentle as he brushes the taller's bangs away from his forehead. 

 

Chanyeol can't really hear his voice above the blood pumping through his veins.

 

He cannot control the next few words that slip from his mouth, completely unfiltered.

 

_"I love you."_

 

 

 

 

 


	3. First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Chanyeol felt a flutter in his chest, his nerves getting the better of him. This was the first time they'd woken up beside each other without any shield of clothing and he couldn't quite believe it._

It was a little tricky for Chanyeol to see past the blinding sunlight for a moment. The bright rays were peeking in through the transparent curtains of his bedroom, robbing him of his vision as he woke up. Whispers of soft breaths filtered out beside him, the warmth beside him being much more than what his thin duvet could offer. Turning his back to the window, Chanyeol caught the outline of a petite body, lying chest against mattress, bare skin exposed to the room - to his eyes.

 

_Baekhyun._

 

Chanyeol felt a flutter in his chest, his nerves getting the better of him. This was the first time they'd woken up beside each other without any shield of clothing and he couldn't quite believe it. Baekhyun was still asleep. He could tell. The sound of his slow and steady breathing, the way his body would rise, arms folded beneath his cheek that rested on them. This was the typical Baekhyun sleeping position, but seeing him without clothes on made it all the more daunting for Chanyeol to see. 

 

While tracing the line of Baekhyun's spine with his eyes, Chanyeol's mind began to wander back to last night. 

 

Everything had all been fairly mundane, as usual. It was around 11 pm and they were sat together, watching TV, eating whatever food they could be bothered to snatch out of the fridge. Chanyeol had chugged a few beers back and around the fourth, he couldn't stop looking Baekhyun's way and he must've noticed. Around the fifth beer, Baekhyun started to lock gazes with him here and there, his ass fidgeting against the couch cushion. 

 

All Chanyeol kept asking himself was:  _Can he feel it too?_

 

By god, he hoped Baekhyun could feel it too.

 

One stare led to another and the bag of salted popcorn was pushed to one side by Baekhyun's hands. Maybe he was trying to tell Chanyeol something, maybe not. Either way, the latter took it as a sign and swooped in, planting a hesitant kiss on Baekhyun's lips. 

 

He kissed back.

 

The first kiss brought on several more and each time, they grew sloppier, more demanding and desperate. Chanyeol could feel the smaller hands gripping at his shoulders, sides, hips and it made his head thrum with intoxication. That intoxication being desire.

 

_Finally,_ Chanyeol thought, trapping Baekhyun's lower lip between his teeth.  _Finally, it's happening._

 

They scrambled to the bedroom, clothes being their breadcrumb trail along the way. When Chanyeol's back hit the mattress, they were both naked, he felt vulnerable yet so perfectly comfortable. He rolled their bodies across the bed, hovering over Baekhyun who kept his eyes closed lightly and his neck stretched out. Chanyeol sprinkled confetti kisses on his hot skin, dragging his lips along any spread of bare skin he could reach.

 

In the end, they were smothering, tangling, needing each other until their bodies caved under the pressure of release.

 

Chanyeol fell asleep while cradling Baekhyun's head to his chest, feeling both satisfied and overjoyed.

 

That brought him to this fine morning, getting to watch Baekhyun's face scrunch up with displeasure as he rolled over and had sleep snatched away from him. 

 

"Good morning," Chanyeol uttered, pushing himself up to support his body-weight on his palms, pressing a kiss to the left temple on Baekhyun's head.

 

"Good morning to you too," Baekhyun's slurry voice came, a smile twitched either corner of his lips. "I enjoyed last night," He hummed, cracking his eyes open a bit. 

 

Chanyeol nodded, transferring his weight on to one palm. He swept Baekhyun's brunette locks away from his forehead. "I did too... and it got me thinking-"

 

"We should do it again sometime."

 

Those words. They didn't sound right. Chanyeol swallowed, sitting back and a little further away from Baekhyun.

 

"Don't you think so?" Baekhyun seemed to have woken up a bit, eyes wider and staring at Chanyeol expectantly.

 

Swallowing again, Chanyeol nodded with jittery movements and smiled. "Yeah, I think so too," He mumbled,  his heart whirring erratically as Baekhyun's forehead pressed against his own. He was conflicted, torn. Perhaps he'd been too eager, too expectant that things between them might change. Could he be blamed for that?

 

"I interrupted you, weren't you going to say something?" Speaking up again, Baekhyun grazed his lips along Chanyeol's jaw before resting against his shoulder. "Chanyeol?"

 

"No," He shook his head. "No, I wasn't going to say anything important." Chanyeol had to lie.

 

After all, how could he possibly admit to loving Baekhyun now? It would be humiliating. He shouldn't have expected anything to change.

 

Why would it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little flashback fic for this au felt necessary <3


	4. True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something isn't right and Chanyeol can feel it.
> 
> So, he brings up the elephant in the room and asks Baekhyun if his feelings have caused an issue in their relationship.
> 
> (Follow up from 'Magic City').

It's been around three weeks since that night. The night Chanyeol confessed to his love for Baekhyun.

 

_"I love you."_

 

Those words had just slipped out of his sighing mouth, creating a very tense atmosphere that seems to have stuck ever since. They didn't end up having sex after he'd told Baekhyun, but the latter didn't leave, either. They just- laid in bed with one another, loosely cuddling under the duvets in the humid night air. It was different but pleasant and Chanyeol loved how Baekhyun's arms loosely hooped around his waist.

 

However nice it was, something wasn't right. Chanyeol could feel a tenseness that seems to have stuck ever since.

 

Over this past three weeks, he and Baekhyun haven't had sex once. They've barely kissed, barely done anything of the sort. They haven't been out on the town, either. Touching wise, the only things they've done is cuddle a bit while watching TV. Not even this occurs that often. Chanyeol has always been attentive when it concerns his best-friend, even before his feelings for him grew stronger. Baekhyun has always been the centre of his attention and he can tell that something isn't right.

 

What concerns Chanyeol the most, is the possibility that he has driven Baekhyun away with his confession. The thought of losing him is sickening to the point that his throat closes up. He needs to do something, to get Baekhyun to admit that he's not quite with the confession, or whatever the case might be.

 

He just needs to do something, because doing nothing will get them nowhere and then; they'll only end up drifting apart. That can't happen.

 

On the couch, lights dim and TV playing in the background, Chanyeol has his arms around Baekhyun and they're both drifting between sleep and consciousness. Apparently, Baekhyun has decided he isn't interested in the shitty reality show they're watching anymore because soon enough, he turns his back to the screen and comes face to face with Chanyeol instead. The latter feels his heart stutter. Baekhyun hasn't looked him in the eyes this directly since the,  _'I love you'_ was uttered.

 

"You're tired," Baekhyun mumbles. His hand moves slightly and his palm presses the Chanyeol's cheek. "You're warm, too."

 

Chanyeol feels for the TV remote and pushes the power button as soon as his hand finds it, setting the living room into a much dimmer light. "And you're not comfortable with me anymore, are you?" There's no point in beating around the bush anymore, he knows that and it's exactly the reason why he spits out his words so bluntly. 

 

Baekhyun immediately looks displeased with his words, withdrawing his hand, leaving a subtle tingle behind on Chanyeol's cheek. "Why would you say that?" His tone is much drier than it was a moment ago. Chanyeol swallows the lump in his throat.

 

"You just don't let me go near you much anymore. If you don't feel the same way, then just tell me. You haven't told me anything."

 

Unintentionally, Chanyeol's voice raises. He's passionate, desperate and just plain scared. Losing Baekhyun would be like losing a limb. He doesn't understand when or even how he ended up feeling so dependent on him, but he does nonetheless. Ever since they were young, he's spent most of his waking days with Baekhyun, shared so many fond memories and the fondest are locked deep in his heart.

 

He doesn't want those memories to end up being all that's left of them. 

 

"Don't- Don't make me wait, Baek. Don't keep me in the dark." He all but whispers, hands gripping quite possessively at Baekhyun's waist. "Once upon a time, I thought maybe you felt the same about me... I thought that was the reason behind you kissing me back the first time we had sex," Chanyeol exhales against his cheek after pressing a small kiss there. "The morning after, I was going to tell you... but you ended up being so... blasé about it."

 

He can feel Baekhyun's eyes following his every move. He can feel his small body tensing up and it almost seems to Chanyeol like he's hiding something.

 

"I did feel the same about you."

 

And so, the weight drops. It drops right on top of Chanyeol's body and his eyes widen.

 

_Did he really just say that?_

 

"I do feel the same about you," Baekhyun corrects himself and he leans away from Chanyeol to get a better look at his face. "I kept it casual for the sake of our friendship. I didn't want it to ruin, so I stupidly thought that this would be a better alternative. I'm sorry."

 

Numb. Chanyeol is numb, dumbfounded, oh so... relieved. 

 

"You,"  _Breathe Chanyeol, breathe deeply._ "You feel the same-"

 

Baekhyun stops him before he can go on, kissing his quivering lips with such tender intentions. "Stop talking," He utters. "Stop it, because there's no need..." His lips ghost over Chanyeol's, his fingers grip onto the loose fabric of his tank top.  "I was scared, foolish and just plain ridiculous. I tried to predict the outcome of something more before it could even happen... and I'm sorry." 

 

Chanyeol can't believe his ears. He wants to, but he can't. All this time... they'd been hesitant with each other, despite their feelings. It just feels so invigorating to know he isn't the only one that held back.

 

"The truth is, Yeol..." Baekhyun paused, smiling the most delightfully mischievous smile. 

 

_"I love you too."_

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this collection so much <3


	5. Pop (Goes That Bubble)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, Baekhyun gets stuck in his own bubble. Sometimes, this bubble can be taunting. 
> 
> It's always Chanyeol that pulls him back out of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Portrayal of paranoia and slight anxiety.
> 
> (This chapter is more in Baek's point of view. After 'True' and after they've both confessed.)

Baekhyun picks at the loose thread hanging from the sleeve of his sweater, feeling the bass of the music through his chest as it interferes with his heartbeat. Chanyeol is at the bar, ordering their next round of beers and shots. He's been nearly ten minutes. Why is it taking him so long?

 

Despite how outgoing and friendly Baekhyun always comes across, he actually has a tendency of becoming paranoid. Ever since the early stages of adolescence, he gets random attacks of paranoia, sometimes anxiety and he hates it. He hates the way it makes his lungs tighten and falter whenever he inhales. He hates the way it makes him sweat out of his palms and across his face.

 

It makes him feel trapped. 

 

 _"Come on, Yeol..."_ Baekhyun mutters, his feet tapping out of beat against the floor, leg movements jittery, eyes darting around the club. There are too many people tonight and people are staring. Both men and women, looking his way then adverting their gaze whenever he catches them.  _What are they staring at?_ He doesn't consider the option of himself being attractive to people's eyes. No. His mind, his thoughts wander the complete opposite direction and he concludes that he must look strange. Maybe his clothes look wrong, or he's wearing too much makeup. 

 

Baekhyun clenches his fists, wanting to just get out of this place. The low lighting is getting darker in his eyes. He sucks in a deep breath and shuts his eyes tight.

 

_Chanyeol, where are you already?_

 

Suffocating in his thoughts, Baekhyun presses the heels of his feet back against the legs of his chair and waits. He waits for long, unbearable minutes until... 

 

"Baekhyun?" His voice is a little muffled at first, rather drowned out by the music but it's definitely Chanyeol. "Baek, what's the matter? Did something happen?" 

 

He opens his eyes, his gaze immediately meeting with Chanyeol's face. He's back. "Can we go?" Baekhyun rasps, clearing his throat. "I know you just bought drinks, but can we please get out of here? I can't stand it."

 

Chanyeol seems surprised by his lover's request. Baekhyun has never asked to leave a club before, not ever. In fact, he has always been the one to insist they stay for 'Just ten minutes more.' Still, he nods quietly and takes Baekhyun's hand, pulling the unsteady male onto his feet. The latter is so thankful, thankful for the lack of questions Chanyeol is throwing at him. He can't deal with them right now. Perhaps later, but not now. 

 

They neglect the two beers and four tequila shots Chanyeol bought at the bar and file, hand in hand, out of the stuffy building and into the cool night air. After an eternity of shallow breaths, Baekhyun is finally able to suck in a satisfying lungful of the fresh air, sighing it back out again. When he opens his eyes, this time to stay open, he meets with a worried Chanyeol. A large hand rests on the small of his back, urging him closer. All he feels is ease rushing through his veins.

 

"Are you okay?" Chanyeol's voice trembles with concern and Baekhyun's heart screams. It screams with affection.

 

Baekhyun has never outwardly made his paranoia obvious to Chanyeol before. The whole time they were only best-friends and nothing more, he felt a need to hide it. Because;  _What good would it do to go burdening Chanyeol with petty anxiety?_ He just never saw the point. So, all the while those eyes in clubs would stare and bore into his skin in the past, he'd blank it, mask his racing heart and sweaty palms with excuses of intoxication and high body temperature. 

 

Now that they're... a real couple, he feels that maybe things can change. 

 

Because even without his knowing, Chanyeol has always been the one to pop the horrible, antagonizing bubble he gets caught up in. 

 

"I'm okay, Yeol," Baekhyun finally answers, tiptoeing to reach the giant's lips with his own. He kisses him gently, pulse calming down within his ribcage. "I'm just fine, sweetheart." His words flow out with sincerity, face burying in the crook of Chanyeol's neck while he wraps the tall man in a tender embrace. "I just don't want to spend our time together in a club," his hands smooth down Chanyeol's back as he pulls away.

 

He hadn't thought about this before, but it makes sense. 

 

"Getting drunk in several different bars is what we used to do when we were both single. When we weren't committing to each other." Baekhyun's eyes fix to Chanyeol's face. "We're together now... so, it should stop, right?" His question is answered with a quiet nod. "Let's start doing what normal couples do. Let's go to the movies, go bowling, or play pool in a quiet parlour. Or, we could go to your place and see how many rooms we can have sex in. So far, we've only done the couch and the bed, which I personally find boring." 

 

While pouring all of these suggestions out, Baekhyun's previously small smile starts to grow wider, cheekier. Chanyeol is laughing - the sight of it blowing him away. 

 

"Let's get ice-cream at midnight and wander the streets while they're quiet," Another suggestion comes. Only this time, Baekhyun means right now. He wants to do this now.

 

Chanyeol steps closer, bending down to press their foreheads together. "That sounds good," Baekhyun hears him whisper and his soul lifts completely. 

 

"I love you," The brunette murmurs. "Now spoil me with a dozen scoops of ice-cream."

 

All Chanyeol does is laugh a little, taking Baekhyun's hand. 

 

"I love you too," He chimes. "But I can only afford half a dozen scoops."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the love and attention this collection is getting~ I love reading all the comments you guys leave me <3


	6. Clash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _'I'll be yours if you want me to.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another flashback chapter, because what is a fic without a little past angst?
> 
>  
> 
> (Please note that flashback chapters are written in past tense and present chapters in present tense.)

Baekhyun, like most people, had two different sides to his personality. While this was normal, what wasn't normal was the level of contrast between both halves of him. The sheer distance between his sweet, buttery side and his sour, toxic side was often enough to terrify Chanyeol - as well as anger him. It was only when Baekhyun was drunk that his tongue would turn toxic and his behaviour would tumble recklessly.

 

Chanyeol hadn't even wanted to go this ridiculous party. The people were stupid, sleazy and thought it was okay to go around touching people up and invade their space ever five seconds. It was quite literally his worst nightmare and he didn't know how long he'd be able to hold his tongue, watching all these people eye-fuck each other was stomach destroying. 

 

_What made everything worse was how Baekhyun kept joining in._

 

He laughed his sexy laugh, bumping bodies with all those pricks that devoured his body with their greasy eyes. Baekhyun made his rounds, grinding his ass against every guy that crossed his path during the beat drop. The music was so loud -  _too loud._ Chanyeol couldn't bear what he was seeing, his best friend, the one he loved more than he should have, throwing himself at anything with a pulse. Girls, boys, everything in-between and his self-value didn't even exist right now. Why? Chanyeol had to think so hard with his half-sober mind and he tried to work out when and why Baekhyun's standards dropped so low. 

 

Everything was shitty and Chanyeol wasn't enjoying himself at all. The alcohol was weak, he didn't have his buzz on and his cigarette carton was empty. Fuck. To top it all off, Baekhyun hadn't paid him a blind bit of attention from the moment that eighteenth shot slid down his throat. 

 

But all of this was nothing compared to what happened eventually. Baekhyun got hot under the collar, his face to close to another guy's, their breaths probably mingling. Chanyeol's searing gaze stuck to them and witnessed it all. The lips of his best friend colliding with a total stranger, sharing a sloppy, hot kiss and exchanging saliva. Disgusting.

 

_How could he?_

 

With boiling blood and a clenched fist, Chanyeol threw his beer bottle to the floor in a fit of fury and pushed through the ratty, outraged crowd, snatching Baekhyun's wrist in his large hand. No words would have been powerful enough to express how betrayed he felt, so he used his raging body language, yanking Baekhyun off of that asshole. Maybe he hurt him a little. To be honest, he didn't really think about that and while the small brunette cursed his name to the sun and back, fighting to be free from his grip, Chanyeol turned away and dragged him out of the scummy, douchebag ridden house. 

 

The night air was chilly for a summer night, Chanyeol had come well-equipped with his leather jacket. Meanwhile, Baekhyun was standing without coverage, in his loose-fitting t-shirt and ripped skinny jeans.  

 

"What the  _fuck_... is your problem?" Baekhyun's speech was delayed, his blood dominated with the alcohol he'd consumed. He was seething at his uncooperative best friend. "I was having a good time in there and... and you just ruined everything. I could've got laid!" Finally, his wrist broke out of Chanyeol's grip and he stumbled back. Chanyeol cared enough to reach forward and catch him. 

 

"Why do you need to get laid, Baek? Why?"  _Why?_

 

Their sexual relations had always been on a strict, no-strings-attached basis... but Chanyeol couldn't help his relentless jealousy. Baekhyun was gorgeous, could get any guy or chick he wanted and then there was Chanyeol. The quiet, sometimes clumsy and not-as-attractive friend. He was the reliable one that reeled Baekhyun in when he got out of hand. That's exactly what he was doing now, but-... he was just so sick of coming second to parties, alcohol... and other men.

 

Baekhyun stared, slack-jawed with dilated pupils and fuming red cheeks. He was plastered, fucked and so drunk, but he could see right through Chanyeol's anger. He could see past those flaring nostrils and unnecessarily heavy breaths. 

 

Chanyeol was jealous.

 

"What kind of ri...ridiculous questions is that?" The petite brunette practically begged his response, his attitude blowing full steam ahead.  He knew Chanyeol was jealous and he was sure as hell going to take advantage of it. "Are you really that jealous?" And so, the chord was struck. "You're jealous that I let another man's lips touch mine? That my ass brushed against all those crotches in there? Hm? Tell me how you feel, Yeol," He exhaled heavily. "I'm dying to know."

 

He didn't want to fight. Chanyeol desperately wanted nothing more than peace, to go home and let Baekhyun sleep off this vulgar attitude of his, but he knew it wouldn't be that easy. His chest tightened and the craving for a cigarette only intensified when Baekhyun shot all those acid words at him. 

 

So spiteful, so uncalled for.

 

_When would Baekhyun wake up and see? When would he see Chanyeol standing there, waiting for him... for them to be something more?_

 

"So what if I'm jealous, Baek?" The giant spoke up for the first time, backing away from the pitiful state of his drunk best friend. "You don't give a shit anyway. Not as long as you're having fun." Chanyeol reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. He was done being the good guy, done trying to get Baekhyun's attention. The latter clearly wouldn't be interested in any of it. "Here's some money," he paused, tossing a few notes to the concrete before Baekhyun's feet. "Catch a cab home on your on, I'm going to split now. The party is trash... I didn't come along to watch you seduce a bunch of other guys." 

 

_Wait. Chanyeol was leaving?_

 

Astounded, overwhelmed, Baekhyun glanced down at the blurred money by his toes, then back up at Chanyeol. He had his back turned.

 

"You-"

 

"Next time you feel like stressing at me, just remember how loyal I've always been to you," Chanyeol's voice trembled. "I'm not a pushover or someone you can just use. Hopefully, you'll learn that one day."

 

Never in their entire friendship, had Chanyeol left Baekhyun behind like that. Yet, there he was, stood alone on the sidewalk after Chanyeol walked away. He'd always been there to pick up the pieces of Baekhyun's foolish mistakes, his selfish desires and all the rest. Baekhyun took advantage of it and now... now, he'd learn the lesson. He'd learn it the hard way.

 

Needless to say, Baekhyun didn't use the cash Chanyeol threw at him to get a cab home. Instead, he stuffed it in his back pocket and went back to the party. His clothes were lost in the guest bedroom and that stranger he'd kissed turned into a one night stand. It made him feel filthy, but in the morning, everything would be okay. He wouldn't remember his fight with Chanyeol and everything would go back to normal

 

Chanyeol ended up back at his place, drowning his head and heart in a bottle of brandy. He'd fall asleep on his couch and wake up with a pounding headache in the morning, immediately wondering if Baekhyun was safe. 

 

No matter how many times they would clash, they'd always be drawn back together again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will get happier in the end, but I can't neglect that angst tag aha, forgive me ^^;

**Author's Note:**

> I honestly can already tell that I'll love and cherish this collection with all my heart <3
> 
> Edit: please check out the inspiration for this work. I should have mentioned them after first publishing this, but I was too afraid someone that isn't me would tell them about my fic. The artwork that drove me to write these chapters is by the awesome @rinadraws on twitter~ go and show some love!


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